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NSAIDS: The Basics and The Dangers

Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs have been a medical staple for over a century. You can walk into any drugstore, truck stop or corner market and purchase an NSAID right over the counter. Aspirin, ibuprofen, and nabumetone are all readily available as a remedy for a headache, sore back, or any of the myriad of minor aches and pains that occur through the course of everyday life.

These non-prescription NSAIDs work by preventing the formation of two specific enzymes. The enzymes fall under the category of cyclooxygenase, and two variations of it serve two different purposes. The first variation, called COX 1, helps prevent digestive acids and chemicals from harming the lining of the stomach. This is why an occasional side effect of aspirin and ibuprofen is an upset stomach. The second variation, called COX 2, is produced when joints are injured or inflamed. The prevention of COX 2 from forming is the reason for the analgesic properties of NSAIDs.

The pharmaceutical companies recognized the need for an analgesic that could help stop pain from arthritis and other joint maladies without causing an upset stomach. As a result, drugs like Vioxx, Celebrex and Bextra were developed and pushed through to the market. All three of these drugs, which were available only through prescription, were significantly different from over the counter NSAIDs in that they inhibited the actions of COX 1 enzymes. This would allow for the same anti-inflammatory and analgesic results that are received from aspirin and ibuprofen without the stomach lining side effects.

Vioxx, Bextra and Celebrex: Dangerous Side Effects and Recalls
The Food and Drug Administration approved Vioxx and Celebrex for sale on the market in 1999. Bextra was approved in 2001. There was a storm of controversy over Vioxx almost immediately. As early as March of 2000, Merck, the manufacturer of the drug, received results of a study that claimed that Vioxx patients were twice as likely to suffer heart attacks and strokes. Despite these findings, Merck continued to aggressively market the drug while earning billions of dollars in sales. In 2004, after years of wrangling between Merck and the FDA, Vioxx was recalled and made unavailable for use. This left Bextra and Celebrex as the only two COX 2 inhibiting NSAIDs left on the market.

Pfizer, Inc. developed and released Celebrex in 1999 and Bextra in 2001. Both products were meant to compete in the COX 2 Inhibitor NSAID market. Bextra had enough functional similarities to Vioxx for the FDA to be concerned. A November meeting of the American Heart Association revealed initial studies that Bextra was showing similar damaging tendencies to heart patients. Bextra was also linked as a cause of a rare but deadly skin disease called Stevens - Johnson Syndrome. SJS is a result of an allergic reaction to pharmaceuticals, and its symptoms are skin blistering, high fever, conjunctivitis and corneal blistering. As a result of these findings, the FDA ordered Bextra off the market in April of 2005.

As of this writing, Celebrex is still on the market, despite Pfizer’s admission that it was aware of the risks for heart patients as far back as 1999. In December of 2005, a lawsuit was filed against Pfizer by a man who lost his 54 year old wife to a heart attack while she was taking Celebrex.

It is clear that the reason for the prevalence of these dangerous new NSAID’s on the market was because the pharmaceutical industry took market share and advertising more seriously then the health of their customers. Using blanket advertising and disregarding their own tests put these drugs in the hands of people who had no business using it.

At Breit Drescher, we’re all too familiar with the heavy handed and careless marketing tactics of the big pharmaceutical companies. We also know that by the time the FDA steps up and does its job, it’s usually too late. If you have suffered a loss or a serious medical incident due to a loved one ingesting these dangerous drugs, we have the experience and dedication to get you the justice that you deserve.

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